Indulgent chocolate chip cookie cake is soft in the center, chewy on the edges, studded with chocolate chips, and decorated with chocolate buttercream. This fun dessert comes together quicklyโno cookie dough refrigeration or dough shaping needed. This is the perfect (and easy!) cake for cookie lovers.
I originally published this recipe in 2014ย and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
One reader, Linda, commented: “Birthday cake? What’s that? This cookie cake is requested for every birthday in my family. I’m making one for my sister today. This has been my go-to recipe for years. And still today the tradition carries on. It’s the perfect cookie cake… the frosting is the perfect addition. Absolutely delicious. This recipe never fails me. โ โ โ โ โ ”
Today’s chocolate chip cookie cake is adapted from 2 of my most popular cookie recipes loved by bakers around the world: soft chocolate chip cookies and chewy chocolate chip cookies. The result is soft-baked, chewy, chocolatey decadence.
I love baking “giant” cookies that serve only a couple people (looking at you, 1 giant monster cookie and 1 giant snickerdoodle), and this cookie cake is no exception. It’s essentially one really big cookie that feeds a crowd!
You’ll love how quickly and easy this cookie cake comes together. We’ll bake the cookie dough in a pan, so no cookie dough chilling required (just like my soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars). Garnished with chocolate buttercream and your favorite toppings, it’s a festive dessert recipe perfect for any celebration.
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Is:
- Soft-baked and chewy, but sturdy enough to eat with a fork
- Quick to make โyou don’t have to roll a bunch of individual cookies, and you don’t have to chill the dough
- Baked in a pie dish or cake panโso it won’t overspread
- Great for small parties or gatherings (serves 8โ10)
- Easy to slice and serve
- Topped with the creamiest chocolate buttercream
- Perfect for chocolate chip cookie lovers, and anyone who prefers cookies over cake! (We put together a collection of fun desserts beyond traditional birthday cake!)
Ingredients You Need & Why
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this cookie cake.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch creates an exceptionally soft and thick cookie cake. I add it to my soft chocolate chip cookiesโand to this cake, too! This soft-baked cookie cake will melt in your mouth.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookie cake rise.
- Salt: Salt brings out all the flavors and balances the sweet.
- Butter: Use room-temperature butter (remember it’s cooler than you think). You can use this trick to soften butter quickly or take the butter out of the refrigerator about an hour before you begin.
- Brown Sugar: Skip the granulated sugar and use all brown sugar for an ultra soft and moist cookie cake.
- Eggs: Taking what I learned from my chewy chocolate chip cookies, I use 1 egg and 1 egg yolk for the chewiest cookie cake. The extra egg yolk also adds tenderness and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor. Try homemade vanilla extract!
- Chocolate Chips: This cookie cake is studded with chocolate chipsโ1 and 1/2 cups (270g) total. Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, try using dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips. Or swap half of the chocolate chips for M&Ms like we do in these soft M&M cookie bars.
How to Make It
This cookie cake dough comes together quickly with an electric mixer. Start by creaming the butter and brown sugar, then add the remaining wet ingredients.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add them to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Finally, add in the chocolate chips.
No Cookie Dough Chilling!
Because we’re baking the cookie dough in a cake pan or pie dish, we don’t have to chill the cookie dough or roll individual cookies. Simply make the cookie dough and spread/press it into your baking dish. It’s really that simple:
The cookie will never overspread because it’s contained in the dishโsimple and easy!
By the way, you could absolutely make this cookie cake with the dough from these double chocolate chip cookies. Same bake time as below.
Toppings for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
While this cookie cake delicious on its own, chocolate buttercream and sprinkles are always a good idea… and turns this giant cookie into a true cake worthy of a celebration!
My favorite chocolate buttercream is far from basic; itโs incredibly creamy, silky, smooth, and rich. Even though itโs wonderfully creamy, it holds its shape beautifully. So itโs perfect for piping even the most intricate designs. I used a simple Wilton 1M tip for today’s cookie cake.
Have fun and get creative with your toppings: instead of chocolate buttercream, try peanut butter frosting, chocolate peanut butter frosting, vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, whipped cream, or ice cream.
This is the perfect recipe to make when you’re looking for something just as festive as a birthday cake but a little more exciting than chocolate chip cookies! You could also try my sprinkle-filled sugar cookie cake instead.
Yes! You can follow the same instructions on how to freeze cakes: cool completely, wrap in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the wrapping, then make the frosting fresh the day you plan to serve it.
Absolutely. You can replace some or all of the chocolate chips with M&Ms or mini M&Ms, or try peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, sprinkles… you get the idea!
You can double this recipe, but the layers will be quite thick. Instead, I recommend my chocolate chip cookie layer cake recipe. That recipe uses 6-inch cake pans, but see the recipe Notes if you’d like to use 9-inch pans.
More Favorite Chocolate Chip Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake
- Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cake with Ganache Drip
- Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: one 9-inch cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
One of the best ways to eat a chocolate chip cookie: when it’s the size of a cake! Use this quick and easy homemade cookie dough and bake it in a cake pan or pie dish. No dough refrigeration required! Decorate with optional frosting and sprinkles, and then slice and serve.ย
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (aka cornflour)*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional: chocolate buttercream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Spray a 9-inch pie dish or 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds or until evenly dispersed.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 22โ26 minutes or until the cookie cake is lightly golden brown all over the surface (could be up to 30 minutes, depending on your oven). Use a toothpick to test for doneness; if it comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, it’s done. You may want to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to avoid heavy browning around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack to cool completely. While the cookie cake is still warm, you can press a few more chocolate chips into the surface of the cake. This is optional and only for looks!
- Once cooled, use a sharp knife or metal spatula to loosen the sides of the cookie cake from the pan and transfer to a serving dish. (Or serve directly from the pan.)
- Make the chocolate buttercream, if using.
- Decorate the cooled cookie cake with frosting. Depending how much frosting you use, you may have some leftover. I used a Wilton 1M tip.
- Cookie cake remains fresh covered tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 9-inch Pie Dish or 9-inch Round Cake Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Tip
- Eggs: Make sure you don’t use 2 full eggs, which will result in a cakey textureโthink more of a cake than a cookie. 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk is best. Room-temperature eggs incorporate evenly into your cookie dough, which guarantees a uniform texture in each bite of the cookie cake. Simply set out the eggs when you set out the butter to come to room temperature. If you forget to set out your eggs ahead of time, place them into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then use.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch (aka cornflour) helps thicken the cookie dough and promises a softer cookie cake. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can leave it out. No need to replace with anything.
- The chocolate buttercream topping is optional. You could also decorate with whipped cream or top with vanilla ice cream.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe is incredible!!
Hi Sally,
Can this cookie cake be made in a cast iron pan instead?
Thanks!
Hi Tal, you can use a cast iron skillet for this recipe. Same oven temperature and about the same bake time.
Hi, I was wondering if a hand/stand mixer is required for this recipe? I know in the description that it says to use one but I unfortunately only have a decent whisk! Will that affect the consistency of the dough? Thanks for any response ins advance!
Hi Isa! You can certainly mix it by hand if necessary, but it will take quite a bit of arm muscle! Particularly when it comes to properly creaming the butter and sugars. We find a sturdy wooden spoon works best. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Hi Trina!
The cookie cake came out perfect! I ended up creaming the sugar and butter by hand with a fork and it still had the perfect consistency of gooey middle and golden crust. I also made the Vanilla Buttercream recipe to top it off and did the same method with the fork to make it. It was the perfect combination, thanks so much for the reply!
Hi Sally, your recipes are totally awesome! Am thinking of baking a double recipe of the chocolate cookie cake for the lady who works for me. BUT she is going to travel by bus from Pretoria South Africa to Zimbabwe where her husband and children live. Do you think it will survive a long hot bus trip – not the fancy air conditioned kind. If not, could you please advise something that will withstand heat. What kind of “frosting” will withstand such a trip. I was thinking fruitcake with almond paste and fondant icing. But the almond paste available here now in this country is inedible. Am 82 and cannot see myself making almond paste anymore. Please, please advise. Kindest regards, Bets.
Hi Bets, we’d be hesitant to recommend anything with frosting or chocolate for traveling in a hot climate. The cookie cake might be fine without the chocolate frosting garnish, but it would depend on how long and hot the bus trip is. I wish we could help! Maybe something like sugar cookies with royal icing?
One chocolate chip cookie cake is not enough for my family so I want to make 2 of them. Is it ok to double the ingredients and make the dough for both of them together, or should I make 2 separate batches?
Hi Becky, you can double this.
Can I line the pan with parchment paper? Thanks!
Sure!
Can I somehow turn this into a double chocolate chip cookie cake? I see the recipe for the giant chocolate chip cookie but this feels sturdier for decorating purposes as itโs for my daughterโs birthday. She loves all the chocolate so sheโs requested a double chocolate chip cookie cake.
Hi Jillian, weโd recommend using this chocolate cookie dough instead. You can use any leftover dough for a few cookies on the side. Enjoy!
Delicious and everyone agreed. Super easy also.
Is it ok to add a recipe and a half In a 10 inch springform pan to get a thick base maybe a little over 2 inch thick? How would the baking of time change? Thank you!
Hi Vivian, you’ll need more than the recipe as written for that pan, but likely not that muchโit would be quite thick and difficult to bake through. You could 1.5x the recipe, press most of it into the pan, and then use the leftover dough for a few cookies on the side. We’re unsure of the exact bake time.
Can you use this recipe to make a number/letter cookie cake? If so how much batter would you use?
Hi Patti, you can use this dough for a number or letter cake. The amount of dough needed will depend on the exact size of your numbers/letters and the pan you will be using. You can always scale up the recipe and use any leftover dough for individual cookies.
Can I double the recipe and use a 16 inch pizza pan instead of a pie pan?
Hi Christy, here is our chocolate chip cookie pizza recipe instead.
Hi
Everyone in my house loved this recipe !! Bangin , wants for there birthday!! Canโt say thank you enough!!โค๏ธโค๏ธ
I have a 15โ pizza pan. Would you recommend 1.5x the recipe and the same cook time or longer?
Hi Cate, we’d recommend using our chocolate chip cookie pizza recipe instead. You can 1.5x that recipe (that recipe is written for a 12-inch pizza pan) and then use any leftover dough for a few cookies on the side. Bake time will be slightly longer.
I baked the cookie cake for 25 minutes. I used a toothpick to test for doneness and there were no moist crumbs but the cake tasted raw. I wish I would have used a pie shield to protect the edges and baked for a full 30 minutes.
Hi my round cake Tin is 22cm do you think I should double the batch? For my daughters birthday cake
Iโm going to put icecream in the middle
Hi Gab, 22cm is approximately 9 inches so this recipe will work as written for your pan.
So tasty and so easy to make! Will definitely make again. Results in a thick, chewy cookie cake. I made the chocolate buttercream linked – but after creaming butter and powdered sugar together, I split it to make half a batch of chocolate and half a batch of vanilla buttercream which I tinted with food coloring.
My pan was 10 inches and it worked out great. Thicker than a grocery store cookie cake โ so if you want it a bit thinner, you could use an 11 or 12 inch pan I think (of course keep an eye on the baking time)
Luv your idea of colored frosting! Could you post a picture? I’ll be making for grandson birthday.
If I were to use a 9×13 pan, would a double recipe work?
Hi Sandy, Hereโs our chocolate chip cookie bars baked in a 9ร13 pan (you can sub more chips for M&Ms).
Can I still chill the dough? I typically love the taste of choco chip cookies when theyโve had 24 hours to chill. Iโm guessing this would change the baking time?
Hi Cora, yes, you can chill the dough. Bake time should be similar.
Iโm planning to make this in a 12โ x 18โ x 2โ sheet pan. Would you suggest doubling or tripling this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Allison, we would triple, and then if you have any leftover dough, you can make a few cookies on the side. Enjoy!
So gross! This is burned on the outside and raw on the inside. It’s way too thick of a pan to cook this incredibly dense cookie dough. There are way too many chocolate chips. Most importantly– it has zero flavor. Threw it all away after my three girls hated the first bite. Skip!!
Turned out super cute! Made it for my sonโs school fun fair. Came together very quickly. I ended up using Hersheyโs kisses around the edge instead of icing and it turned out super cute. Looking forward to making another one for myself!
I made this for Fatherโs Day. It was a fudge like texture, I expected it to be cake like. Also, it was sweet! Too many chocolate chips. I did bake it in a 10โ springform pan.
The chocolate buttercream was delicious!
Mine turned out just right! My family was very impressed. It’s the first cookie cake I’ve made. Cooked mine for 28 mins and the consistency was amazing! Also just fyi… A 10 inch spring form pan works great.
I made this for my husband for Fatherโs Day yesterday. After all the fancy cakes and baked goods Iโve made him, he declared this one the absolute GOAT. And heโs not wrong. Considering how easy this was to make, itโs almost silly how incredibly delicious it is. Honestly, I may never make individual cookies again!
Delicious I made it today and it was Wow! Thank you for the recipe.